Window frame attachment



w. H. J. DQWNEY 2,817,126'

WINDOW FRAME ATTACHMENT Dec. 24, 1957 Filed OO'L- 31, 1956 FIG.2

FIIG.3

INVENTOR. William H. J. Downey United States. Patent WINDOW FRAME ATTACHMENT William H. J. Downey, Wilmington, Del..

Application October 31, 1956, Serial No. 619,544

1 Claim. (Cl. 2052.4)

This invention relates to a novel window frame attachment on which sash-type windows'are slidably inou'nted to permit vertical adjustment thereof to any desired position.

Sash-type windows have, for a long period of time, employed vertical grooves in the window frame which, together with sash cords, pulleys and weights, permit vertical adjustment of the window sashes. This type of structure has been found to present a number of shortcomings, a notable one of which is the liability of the sash cord to breakage. Additionally, the window sashes, in time, become loose in the frame grooves, with the result that the window is not air-tight and tends to rattle. It is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose window frame attachment mounted in and coextensive with the window frame on which attachment window sashes are slidably mounted to permit vertical adjustment of the window to any desired height; frictionally retains the window sash in any predetermined position of adjustment throughout its length; and weatherstrips the window and prevents rattling of the window sashes in the frame.

Another object is to provide a window frame attachment, which permits vertical adjustment of the window, comprising resilient runners adapted to be received in complementary vertical grooves along each lateral margin of the window, portions of the runners being in constant frictional engagement with the window throughout its entire length to positively hold the window in a predetermined adjusted position yet allowing free manual movement of the window.

A further object is to provide a window frame attachment of the character described which may be quickly and easily substituted in a previously installed window of the sash-type with a minimum amount of remodeling of the window sashes and window frame.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following description of the present preferred form of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary front elevational view of a window embodying the attachment of the present invention, portions of the window being broken away to disclose details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing to advantage window sashes sli-dably mounted on the present attachment;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of the window frame attachment of the present invention per se; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the same.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, there is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a window frame generally designated 6 comprising vertical side pieces 7, spaced at their upper margins by a cross member 8 and at their lower margins by a sill 9. The inner face of each side runner 16 beyond sides 18 are bent back into substantially 2,817,126 Patented Dec. 24, 1957 lice piece 7 is provided, at points adjacent the lateral edges thereof, with vertical strips 10 and 11 coextensive with side piece 7 and secured thereto in conventional fashion. A vertical center strip 12 is disposed between vertical strips 10 and 11 in a countersunk indicated at 13, the latter being equi-distant from the two strips. As shown to advantage in Figs. 2 and 3, strips 10,11, 12 and sides 7 form a pair of vertical parallel grooves 14 and 15 of equal width extending through the vertical length of the window frame 6.

In each of grooves 14 and 15 there is centrally mounted a runner 16 which is coextensive with, and vertically arranged in, each groove. Runner 16 comprises a resilient metal-channel which includes a cross member 17 and 01)} posed parallel side members 18. The-free terminals of parallel relationship with sides 18 to provide yieldable wings 19. Runner 16 is secured to side piece 7 of window frame 6 by screws 20, the heads of which are spaced from cross member 17 by washers 21 and 22, the latter preferably being of a resilient material. It has been found that runner 16 is firmly held in position and the sides 18 thereof prevented from collapsing, by the use of three spaced sets of screws 20, washers 21 and 22. As shown to advantage in Fig. 2 the intermediate set of securing members in vertical grooves 14 and 15 do not lie in the same horizontal plane for reasons to be more fully hereinafter set out.

Adapted to be mounted in vertical grooves 14 and 15 are an upper sash 23 and a lower sash 24. For this purpose, the lateral margins of sashes 23 and 24 in facing engagement with side pieces 7 are centrally routed out to form vertical grooves 25 and 26 of channel shape for the reception of runners 16, each of which grooves are defined by side walls 27 and an end wall 28. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, wings 19 frictionally engage side walls 27 of grooves 25 and 26 and the inner extremities of sides 18 frictionally engage end walls 28 of grooves 25 and 26 to retain sash 23 or sash 24 in any desired position of adjustment throughout the vertical length of the window frame. In addition, the metal channel serves to weatherstrip each sash and, by virtue of its frictional engagement with the sash, eliminates any lateral movement of the sashes to prevent rattling thereof in the window frame.

For installing sashes 23 and 24 in accordance with the present invention, runners 16 are disposed in vertical grooves 25 and 26 of sashes 23 and 24 after which the sashes are placed in vertical grooves 14 and 15 of window frame 6. Upper and lower screws 20 are easily attached to side pieces 7, but in order that the intermediate securing members may be fastened, they must be located in different horizontal planes, at points above and below the midpoint of the window frame. As shown in Fig. 2, screw 20 located in groove 14 lies below the lower limit of upper sash 23 when the latter is in fully raised position, while screw 20 of groove 15 lies above the upper limit of lower sash 24 when the latter is in fully lowered position.

In applying the attachment of the present invention to previously installed windows employing vertical grooves in the window frame with sash cords, pulleys and weights, the center strips are first removed and the sash cords cut to permit the sashes to be removed from the window frame. Next, the lateral margins of the sashes in facing engagement with the vertical side pieces of the frame are centrally routed out in a conventional manner to provide channels complementing the shape of the runners of the present invention. Next, the runners and sashes are inserted in the vertical grooves of the frame and the runners are attached to the side pieces of the window frame. Finally, the center strips are replaced to complete the conversion.

Although I have herein shown and described a present preferred embodiment of my invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that various changes may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the claim hereto appended.

What I claim is:

In combination, a window frame having vertical grooves in its opposite sides and a window sash slidably mounted in said grooves, the lateral margins of said sash having vertical grooves of channel shape intermediate the edges thereof and channel shape runners mounted in the grooves of the window frame and fitted in the grooves of the window sash to frictionally retain the window sash in any predetermined position of adjustment throughout the vertical length of said frame, each of said channel shape runners comprising a cross member engageable with the window frame, opposed parallel sides of resilient construction connected at right angles to said cross member, the free margins of the sides being reversely folded outwardly to form yieldable wings in spaced substantially parallel relationship to the main portion of the runner sides, said yieldable wings lying in frictional engagement with the side walls of the window sash groove, a plurality of spaced rubber washers mounted within each channel shape runner, the lateral margins of said washers abutting the inner walls of the runners opposed parallel sides to prevent collapse thereof, each Washer being provided with a bore, and a screw in each bore for engagement through the cross member of the runner and with the window frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 481,622 Morss Aug. 30, 1892 848,961 Bricker Apr. 2, 1907 855,293 Etter May 28, 1907 2,543,913 Krouse Mar. 6, 1951 2,570,312 Bond Oct. 9, 1951 2,600,786 Lockwood June 17, 1952 

